Liquid depth gauge



June 9, W%. W. HANRAHAN LIQUID DEPTH GAUGE Filed Jan. 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTOP- fl/s qrrpemsm We 1936 W. HANRAHAN LIQUID DEPTH GAUGE Filed Jan. 2, '1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V VEA/TOR 6 H7 ram/n3 Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE LIQUID DEPTH GAUGE Walter I-Ianrahan, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 2, 1934, Serial No. 104,883

Claims. (CI. 73-54) My invention relates to the gauging of the head 4 of one arm 5 of said U-tube D. Said head depth of bodies of liquids, particularly to the has an outlet 6 to the air. Preferably, a felt gauging of such bodies of liquid as the oil conor other suitable insulating cushion I is intertained in an automobile crank case. It has for posed between said boss 3 and said head 4. A

5 its principal object a gauge that can be operated suitable packing material 8 may be placed around at will and that has its actuating mechanism and the lower end of said U-tube and a plate 9 covers its indicator conveniently located at a point the front end of said'seat to hold the tube D in remote from the body of liquid, as on the dashposition. a board of an automobile. Other objects are a In one end of said U-tube D is a plug I0 10 gauge that is simple in construction and accuthrough which extends the end of a tube II that 10 rate in operation and that is very easily incommunicates with a passageway I2 through stalled and used. said housing. Said passageway I2 communi- The invention consists principally in providcates with a tube I3 forming part of the presing the pressure line of a liquid depth gauge of sure line F that leads to the plunger tube A.

the pressure type, with a heatable member for An auxiliary passageway I4 leads to the face of 15 creating the necessary pressure in the line. The said housing, so that said u-tube D- and said invention further consists in the liquid depth pressure line F are open to atmospheric presgauge and in the parts and combinations and sure.

arrangements of parts hereinafter described and In the pressure line F is an enlarged chamber claimed. I 5 in which is mounted the heating unit G, which 2 0 In the accompanying drawings, is illustrated as being an electric heater.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a liquid depth The heatingunit G is connected by suitable gauge embodying my invention, wiring I6 to'the automobile battery I! or other Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line source of electric current. Pivotally mounted in 2-2 in Fig. 1, the supporting housing, as by a screw I8, is a 25 Fig. 3 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, flexible arm I 9 that is provided with a valve of the actuating and indicating mechanism, the member 20 adapted to cover the end of said cover being removed, auxiliary passageway I 4 and with a contact mem- Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 in her 2| adapted to engage a contact member 22 Fig 3, v mounted on the housing. Said contact members 30 Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the device are arranged in the electric circuit of the heatincluding thewiring; ing unit G so as to constitute the switch therefor. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a modifica- Obviously, pressing said arm I9 so as to close tion; and said switch 2I22 closes the circuit through the Fig.7 is a diagrammatic view of another modiheating unit G and at the same time closes the 35 fication. end of the auxiliary passageway I4. The heat- Briefly stated, the liquid depth gauge illusing of said unit G will build up pressure in the trated includes a hollow tube A inserted into pressure line F and operate the gauge. As soon the oil B in an automobile crank case C and as the reading has been taken the switch 2I-22 40 extending almost to the bottom thereof, a U-tube is op n d, w h Opens the y-p 4 n p 40 D containing some mercury E, 011 or other suitmits the restoration of atmospheric pressure in able indicating material, a pressure line F conthe air pressure line F.

necting said U-tube D and said plunger tube A The housing I s provided With a b e Cover and an electric heating unit G in said pressure 3 n which is a face plate 24 p d w line, so that the gauging is accomplished by passli d fa 5 w e edges x n along a p0r ing a current through said heating unit G, theretion of the U-tube. Preferably, each face 25 has by expelling the liquid from the plunger tube A a se of g adu n those of n set being at a and causing the columns in the U-tube D to lower level than the corresponding graduations assume a position dependent upon the depth of of the other set, so as to provide for a correct the liquid being gauged, reading when the automobile is in use as well as 50 A housing I, which supports the indicating and when it has been standing idle. After the autoactuating mechanisms, is provided with a boss mobile has been standing it will be realized that 2 at its lower end in which is a concave seat for the oil drains out of the motor into the crank said U-tube, and with a boss 3 at its upper end case so that the level in the crank case will stand having a concave seat for the enlarged spherical slightly higher than after the motor has been 55 running and oil fed to the working parts thereof.

In order to make the reading easier, an electric bulb 26 may be placed in a nosing 21 projecting from the supporting housing I, a slot 28 being provided in the wall of said housing to permit illumination of the U-tube. Said bulb is placed in the heating unit circuit.

In order to secure the device to an automobile dash-board 29 or the like a cap 30 may be placed over the end of said nosing 21 and provided with an upstanding portion 3| in which is mounted a thumb screw 32 so that the dash-board may be engaged between the back of said supporting housing I and said thumb screw 32.

The plunger tube A may be inserted into the crank case opening 33 wherein a measuring rod is customarily mounted. Said tube may be marked with the usual graduations and the tube 34 to which it is connected may be flexible, so as to permit hand gauging when desired.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the valve 20 for the auxiliary passageway is mounted on the armature E9 of a solenoid 4| which is in the same circuit as the heating unit. Closing the heating unit switch 2 l-22 energizes the solenoid and causes the valve to be closed.

Fig. 7 indicates a modified arrangement of heating unit intended for use where the liquid being measured is inflammable, as gasoline. In this arrangement, the heating unit G is placed on the outside of the pressure line F and a suitable casing 49 is placed over it.

The above described liquid depth gauge has important advantages, since it is easily installed, accurate in operation and simple in construction. Obviously, numerous changes may be made without departing from the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. A liquid depth gauge comprising an indicator, a hollow tube adapted for insertion into a body of liquid to be measured, a pressure line connecting said tube and saidindicator, a heatable member in said pressure line, said pressure line having a by-pass opening and means for simultaneously closing said by-pass opening and causing said heatable member to be heated.

2. A liquid depth gauge comprising an indicator, a hollow tube adapted for insertion into a body of liquid to be measured, a pressure line connecting said tube and said indicator, an electric heating member in said pressure line, said pressure line having a by-pass opening, a source of electricity for said heating member, a switch for controlling the electric circuit, and a member for simultaneously closing said switch and said by-pass opening.

3. A liquid depth gauge comprising a housing having a boss in its lower portion provided with a concave seat in its upper surface and a boss in its upper portion provided with a concave seat in its front face, a U-tube seated in said lower boss, one arm of said U-tube having a spherical head resting in said concave seat of said upper boss, a cover for said housing, a passageway extending through said housing and opening into a pressure line, an auxiliary passageway opening through said housing, a tube connecting said passageway and the other arm of said U-tube, a graduated scale extending along a portion of said U-tube, a plunger tube extending into the liquid to be gauged and connected with said pressure line, an electric heating unit disposed in said pressure line, a source of electric current for said heating unit, an arm pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent to the open end of said auxiliary passageway and provided with a push button and with a closure for said auxiliary passageway, an electric contact member on said arm and a second electric contact member in said housing, said contact members being in the circuit for said heating unit.

4. A liquid depth gauge comprising a housing having a boss in its lower portion provided with a concave seat in its upper surface and a boss in its upper portion provided with a concave seat in its front face, a U-tube seated in said lower boss, one arm of said U-tube having a spherical head resting in said concave seat of said upper boss, a cover for said housing, a passageway extending through said housing and opening into a pressure line, an auxiliary passageway opening through said housing, a tube connecting said passageway and the other arm of said U-tube, a nosing projecting rearwardly from said housing, an electric light bulb in said nosing, a graduated scale extending along a portion of said U-tube, said housing being provided with an opening to permit said bulb to illuminate said U-tube, a plunger tube extending into the liquid to be gauged and connected with said pressure line, an electric heating unit disposed in said pressure line, a source of electric current for said heating unit and light bulb, an arm pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent to the open end of said auxiliary passageway and provided with a push button and with a closure for said auxiliary passageway, an electric contact member on said arm and a second electric contact member in said housing, said contact members being in the circuit for said light bulb and heating unit.

5. A liquid depth gauge comprising a housing, an indicator mounted in said housing, a hollow tube adapted for insertion into a body of liquid to be measured, a pressure line connecting said tube and said indicator, an electric heating member in said pressure line, said pressure line having a by-pass opening through said housing, an electric circuit for said heating element, an arm movably secured to said housing, a valve for said by-pass opening on said arm and an electric switch member on said arm, whereby said arm may be moved to simultaneously close said bypass and close the circuit for said electric heating element.

WALTER HANRAI-IAN. 

